


Scarred

by Shinocchi



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Body Worship, Domestic, Gift Fic, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Post-Canon, Scars, Sensuality, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 11:25:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7638214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinocchi/pseuds/Shinocchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were both filled with scars; scars from the past, from the present, scars they have each other.<br/>They were bound to be wounded in the future -- but are those scars necessary? </p>
<p>Mink & Aoba find their own definition in the scars they'd obtained from each other, with Aoba presenting a resolution that'd put an end to their dark tunnel.</p>
<p>Post-canon; one year after drama cd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scarred

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift fic written for [Cyna](http://paper-bag-with-blush.tumblr.com) to give her positive vibes and acting as supporting/protective charm to help you heal faster for your hand injury \o/  
> I hope this story cheers you up, even just a little, and I hope your hand feels better soon! Spreading positive vibe your way~ <3

The sky above him vanished almost completely, with only a few pieces of blue remained. Fragments of sunlight showered upon him, reflecting on his body like puzzle pieces. He was engulfed in fresh fragrance of leaves and soil, heady fog dazed his vision as his footsteps crackled with the rhythm of broken twigs. The sound of running water from a distance away was harmony soothing to the ears, chirpings of young birds enveloped the air.

It was bright with powerful sunlight before he set foot into the forest. But inside, it was cold and filled with solitary, blanketed with soft atmosphere that was a contrast to the outside world.

Aoba stopped under a tree, wiping sweat off his forehead as he drank from the bottle he’d brought along with him. He didn’t have a destination in mind when he launched himself into the embrace of the woods. He did, however, had a motive. Ever since he’d adapted his life into this foreign land, he’d tried as much as he could to explore more of the culture, the language, and of course, new elements of this world that he was never part of. Mink had been a great help, of course. But he didn’t want to be relying on Mink for every other thing he was to learn. He took his own initiative in learning about new things, presenting a sense of reassurance to Mink so that he would not need to worry too much about how this new environment had been treating him.

“Ren, watch your steps, I think this might be a snake’s trail,” he pointed at a barely distinct trail on the muddy road. Ren sniffed and throttled sideways, hurrying towards Aoba while he attempted to identify what the trail actually was.

“Are you sure, Aoba?” Ren asked, raising his head to look questionably at Aoba.

“Hmm, maybe,” Aoba responded with a bitter smile. He stopped, just to find the sun on top of his head, then taking off again upon acknowledging the time. The sound of running water became his guide. He wasn’t very much accustomed to the forest yet; this was perhaps only the third time he’s been in here. But the forest had always amused him, despite it scaring him the first time found himself lost in the midst of green darkness. Since then, he’d come to recognize how much treasures this place is waiting for him to discover. He wanted to find every one of them, regardless of how long it’d take. And when he did, he could show it to Mink, having him to tell him what it was all about.

It was the least he could do to learn more about Mink’s world, in this very land where he was raised. And ultimately, to learn more about Mink as a person.

“Ah, found it,” Aoba grinned. They’d reached the river. It winded through the forest, its flow unstoppable and single-minded. Aoba sat by the riverside, humming quietly as he watched the flow of the river. He let his thoughts run with cadence, wondering how water could stream in such perfect consistency, and wondering how it played such an important role in quenching the needs of plants being rooted on their very soil despite appearing to be such a fragile, insignificant being.

He threw a few stones into the river, watching them bounced and sank before he stood.

“Let’s go back, Ren. We still need to find our way home.”

Ren nodded, wagging his tail as he followed Aoba, tracing the route where they came from. It was a skill Aoba had picked up from his second time in the forest; he’d carve marks onto tree trunks along the way to serve as guidance for him to whiff his way back. He wasn’t extremely bad with directions, he was only bad with time, and Ren had always been a helpful reminder to pull him back from being overly full of himself.

As he paved his way back, wild flowers drew his constant attention, and sometimes, even the weirdest-looking creatures that may appear common to the locals would made him stop his steps until when Ren pulled on the corner of his pants that he kept moving.

“Ah.” Aoba stopped abruptly, noticing something. Following his gaze, Ren caught sight of a tiny bird struggling under one of the trees they just passed by, its growing wings stapled in between leaves.

“Did it fall from the nest?” Aoba wondered out loud, looking up to find a nest on the tree where they found the bird. “Seems like it.”

“What should we do?” Ren asked, inching closer towards the bird and resulting in louder chirpings that had him moving a few steps back.

“I guess we can’t just leave it like this,” Aoba said. He, too, took careful steps towards it, crouching by its side and scooped it into his palm.

“Do we bring it home?” Ren suggested, but Aoba responded with a shake of his head.

“Its parents would be worried,” he said, raising his head in an attempt to find the nest again. “I guess it wouldn’t feel comfortable staying in a place it’s not familiar with either.”

“What do you plan to do, Aoba?”

“Hmmm,” Aoba trailed off, eyes still fixed on the nest. “It’s not too high up, maybe I could bring it back.”

“Do you plan to climb the tree?”

“Well, guess that’s my only option now.” In response, he slung his backpack off his shoulder, placing it on the feet of the tree. Making sure the bird was snuggled safely in his palm, he started climbing, all the while taking careful measurements, looking out for sharp thorns or fragile landing.

“Aoba, be careful,” Ren called from below. Aoba gave him a quick peace sign. It was really not too tall. With just a few climbs, he reached where the nest was, carefully placing the bird back to its home and patted his head.

“Home sweet home, little one,” he smiled.

“Aoba,” Ren called again, urging him to shift his gaze back to his AllMate where he gave him a thumbs up.

“All good. I’m coming down now,” he said.

Now with both his hands free to support his landing, he climbed his way down carefully. Everything should be fine; it was just a few steps after all. But he soon realized that he’d come to that conclusion a bit too soon when he missed a sharp thorn where he was grasping onto the trunk and had it slashing a long way across his arm, causing him to release a struggled gasp.

“Aoba!” Ren exclaimed. He ran towards Aoba, sniffing at the long trail of blood oozing from his fresh wound.

“Ouch…” Aoba moaned.

“Is it deep?” Ren asked, concerned.

“Not really. Just a cut, I hope.”

The last of his words obviously wasn’t convincing at all. Ren jumped around his feet, anxious, then fumbling around Aoba’s backpack, hoping that they hadn’t forgotten the first-aid kit.

“It’s painful, though,” Aoba admitted. “I can’t feel my arm, but I can still move it.”

“Your nerves might be damaged,” Ren explained, licking thick blood off Aoba’s arm. “We might need to visit a doctor.”

“Woah, no way, that’s too much of a hassle,” Aoba retorted, frantic. “Besides, it’s too late now to head into town. Should we return first?”

He was right; the sky was turning darker with every extra minute they were to spend here. Agreeing, Ren helped Aoba with his backpack while Aoba supported his injured hand with the other, feeling blood dripping all the way back as they walked.

It didn’t hurt too much as they walked; more like, he could barely feel anything. Even when he pushed the door open, all he could feel was a numb sensation coating his entire arm, as if there was a layer of plastic surrounding his skin that was making it hard for him to feel. Wincing, he walked into the room, immediately greeted by the smell of home and… freshly baked pie.

“Ah,” he slipped an awkward sound. He _definitely_ knew the shadow in the kitchen; the only problem was… he didn’t expect _him_ to be home so soon.

“You’re back,” Mink said casually, busying himself in the kitchen while Aoba stood rooted at the front door, unconsciously hiding his wounded hand behind him.

What could he say to Mink now? He thought he could at least keep this unsightly scene out of Mink’s attention, treat his wound, do a quick clean-up and maybe a simple bandage and that would be it. He never wanted Mink to see him in this state: hand flooding with blood, trails of red droplets following his trace home.

Mink clearly noticed the lack of response from him. In the next second, he’d emerged from the kitchen, taking an apron off and came to stand in front of Aoba.

“Did something happen?” he asked. Before Aoba could say anything at all, his gaze had fallen upon the red pool of red on the floor, instantly had him raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, well…”

“Aoba, did you hurt yourself?” Rulacane asked, taking Mink’s question directly out of his mouth as he landed on Mink’s shoulder.

“Aoba scratched his arms on some thorns,” Ren replied in Aoba’s place. “We need to tend to it immediately.”

No words were needed between them; Mink needed no words. He took the backpack off Aoba’s shoulder, placed it on the nearest couch he could reach and held Aoba’s injured hand in his.

“Mink, it’s fine, I—“

“Does it hurt?” Mink asked, gently guiding Aoba to sit on the couch. He must’ve noticed what Aoba was about to say, and he clearly didn’t want him to say it out loud. Aoba shook his head, wincing just a tad when he accidentally touched where he was cut.

“Here.” Rulacane flew into the room with a basket of what seemed to be a bunch of first-aid materials. The scar was still dripping blood when Mink held it up to take a good look at it; it looked hideous, and Aoba didn’t remember it being _this_ bad when he first got it. Blood had concentrated in the folds of his knuckles, making the usually pale creases dark.

“It was an accident,” he explained as Mink took the necessary materials out of the basket.

“Understandable,” Mink said briefly, without any hint of reprimands. He thought Mink would tell him off, but instead, he worked on his wound without a word, cleaning the wound and patching it with gesture so tender Aoba could barely feel anything against his skin.

“Looks like you don’t need to visit a doctor after all,” Ren commented, resulting a bitter laugh out of Aoba.

“You will still need to see a doctor later,” Mink interrupted. “This is just emergency treatment. Does it hurt?”

Aoba shook his head. “I didn’t feel anything since I’ve gotten it.”

“It must’ve hurt the nerves.” That was what Ren said too. “Don’t use that hand in the meantime.”

“Huh? But I need to—“

Mink leaned in, enough to fix a close gap between them, enough to have Aoba staring into his pair of golden orbs. “It’ll never heal if you don’t let it rest, or worse, it might leave aftereffects.”

“Oh…” Aoba mumbled.

That was definitely not something he wanted. He wasn’t expecting an injury; but it wasn’t like he wasn’t used to it anyway. When he was in Midorijima, he’d gotten into fights every so often. Rib members picking after him thanks to him being a no-team was nothing new to him, which often resulted in unnecessary fights where meaningless bruises were made. Physical aggression wasn’t unusual for him, that’s why he didn’t deem it necessary to fret too much over this particular wound as well.

It didn’t seem as bad as they ones he always gotten himself back then, to be honest…

But Mink obviously thought otherwise. Perhaps Mink was overly concerned, or perhaps…

…he didn’t know Aoba enough to understand that Aoba wasn’t too much of a fragile being himself.

Or both.

He shook his head vigorously as he laid on the bed, once they were done with his wound treatment. He was thinking too much again. Mink was definitely concerned, regardless of _why_ he was, and that alone was enough to pull a grin on Aoba’s face.

 

* * *

 

He wasn’t tired; hiking hasn’t been bad for him since he was used to running around even before he’d come here. In fact, all the distractions he’d experienced in the woods – the sound of the wind, the chirping of birds, the creaking sound underneath his feet when he stepped on fragile thorns and dried leaves – were all more than enough to make him forget about being tired. He’d never been so close to nature after all. It was an adventure he’d come to love himself.

So, despite Mink asking him to take things easy for the rest of the evening, he couldn’t find any reason strong enough to convince himself in doing so. With merely an hour of tossing around in his bed, he sat up, holding his bandaged arm carefully as he made his way out of his room, just to be swarmed by a strong scent of mutton stew.

“What happened to the pie from earlier?” he asked, sneaking towards Mink, who was stirring a pot of soup.

“It’s in there,” Mink pointed at the over with his chin. “Why are you up?”

“Ah… I can’t rest very well. I’m not tired.”

Mink released what sounded like a soft hub before he returned to concentrate on his food.

“Aoba, please sit down,” Rulacane flew towards Aoba’s shoulder, landing on it as he pointed his beak at the direction of the dining chair.

Aoba obeyed. He wanted to help, like he always did. But he knew that his bandaged hand wasn’t in any position to do so. Worse still, he might give Mink more troubles than he’d already given him. So he ended up sitting on the dining table, using one hand to arrange the cutleries, then standing up once he was done to collect the plates.

“What are you doing?” Mink asked. The pot Mink was tampering over was covered with a lid now, albeit the smell of the stew still pungent.

“Preparing the table…?” Aoba said with forethought. He was almost done setting up the table now, the difficulties in his action obvious from how he almost had a plate slipping off the table and crashing on the floor if Ren hadn’t hurried towards it quick enough to avoid the casualty.

He shot Mink an awkward smile, was about to return to do what he was about to do when Mink walked towards him, the hand he placed on Aoba’s had Aoba stopping everything he was doing without a hitch.

“It’s fine,” he said. Just meekly. He really didn’t need to say too much; the few words he said impacted Aoba as easily as they could. Aoba merely smiled, turning around just to come face-to-face with Mink.

“I’m not fragile, you know? I can still move around. I’m not paralysed, they’re only cuts.”

Mink seemed to have his own reservations on this matter but he let the argument drop regardless. While Aoba was trapped in between Mink and the table, he soon found Mink’s clutch on his bandaged hand, caressing gently, the mere thought of Mink trying hard not to injure him further squeezed him in the heart. He inched himself towards Mink naturally, finding his lips on his almost instantly as they pecked and indulged warmly in each other’s presence.

Mink wasn’t the perfect man when it came to expressing himself with words. But he was definitely eloquent. Aoba had witnessed how strong of an emotion he held within him, always catching Aoba off guard. Sometimes, it reminded him of the times when they first knew each other, when physical interaction was their only communication tool and when words were never meant to go through. It was how Aoba came to realize how _already_ allusive Mink was at that time, despite him using a method that was not how normal was deemed to be.

“Mink… the stew…” he whimpered against his lips. With their bodies pressed against each other, Aoba’s bandaged hand was sandwiched between their chests, the numbness he’d been feeling all the time now all the more overt. Noticing their posture, Mink drew their distance apart, sending a hasty glance at the pot’s direction before he propped himself towards Aoba and kissed him again; this time, more feverishly.

“Dinner is ready,” he said at long last. “Do you want to eat now?”

It’s amazing how Mink always managed to draw Aoba’s breath out of him in such an effortless way.

Aoba chortled. “Sure. C’mon, I can help you with the plates.”

He didn’t want to feel useless, and he could express that very thought with action, at the very least. If words won’t work on him.

 

* * *

 

He didn’t remember matching ornaments to be _this_ tough of a job. It’s the hand; it’s _definitely_ the hand. It was difficult enough to squint under the weak light and it’d been the umpteenth time since he missed the knot.

It would be a mere waste of time and effort to continue this task now.

“Don’t force yourself,” Mink said, sipping nonchalantly on his coffee, his book in his hand; his usual habitat.

Aoba kept his tools away. He wasn’t trying too hard, to be honest. He simply had nothing else he could do at the moment and if he was to allow himself to slack off, he might fall asleep and he didn’t want to be falling asleep so early when Mink was still awake.

“What are you reading?” he asked instead, moving himself away from the fireplace to join Mink on the couch.

Mink took his time, as if trying to find his words. His eyes were stuck on the page for a brief moment before he looked sideways at Aoba’s direction, lifting a small smile.

“It’s a book about meditation,” he said, stopping abruptly.

“Meditation? Sort of like healing?” Aoba guessed, squinting to read the text on the book.

Mink nodded. “Not only physical healing, mentally as well.”

“Hmmm…” Aoba trailed off. He wasn’t very well-accustomed with this meditation idea. If he was injured physically, he could take care of his wounds himself, with or without medications. If he was hurt emotionally… well, he would probably turn into a cocoon and sleep the pain off.

It wasn’t like he had experienced the worst of any of those anyway. He was never one to keep pain within or on him for too long after all.

“So how do you actually… meditate?” he asked, voice quiet, head leaning against Mink’s broad shoulder. He was almost dozing off now, the faint scent of cinnamon enveloped him in a nostalgic atmosphere, giving him a sense of comfort he never knew he needed.

Mink didn’t answer. Instead, he patted Aoba on the head, one hand resting on his wounded arm.

Aoba didn’t know if he answered him in the end; he’d fallen asleep halfway through waiting. And when he woke up the next morning, he was already in his own bed, having no recollection of how he’d gotten there.

 

* * *

 

 

It took longer than Aoba had expected for his hand to heal completely. It had given him huge inconvenience throughout his healing process: he had to sleep facing up so that he wouldn’t accidentally reopen the wound. Then, he would wake up just to find his hand unusable, that he’d need to rely on Ren as his second arm while he worked around the house. He followed Mink out to town once, helping him out with his ornaments after they stopped by for a visit at the doctor’s. While Mink worked on the details, Aoba spoke to the locals, not as fluently as he liked it to be, but good enough for him to draw genuine smiles out of the others. Across time, the locals had come to acknowledge Aoba as Mink’s partner – like how Mink had introduced him – even though the ‘partner’ label might not be the same as how Aoba had interpreted it. But the pleasant smiles, alongside the pat on the shoulders he’d received were innuendos clear enough to tell Aoba that acceptance wasn’t something he needed to worry about.

And, finally, a week after his hand lost its freedom, Mink figured that it was about time for him to regain his convenience. So, right after dinner, they retreated into Mink’s room, where a first-aid kit was placed on the table, with a small bowl of water that was meant for cleaning.

“Does it still hurt?” Mink asked, experimentally fondling the tousled texture of the bandage.

Aoba shook his head. “Not really. It never hurt from the beginning, just numb,” he ended with a small cackle.

Mink responded with a small curve on each corner of his lips before he held Aoba’s hand with both hands, massaging it with moderate pressure then turning it over languidly to loosen the knot.

“I’ll take it off now,” he said, and only cutting the material free when Aoba nodded.

 The bandage was taken off layer by layer, the weight on his arm felt lighter with every movement. While Mink had his eyes on Aoba’s, Aoba had his on Mink’s face, perplexed by the thoughtfulness the other man held when he handled Aoba’s limb. When all the bandages were finally taken off, Aoba tested its agility, moving his arm in various motions, suddenly unfamiliar with his own limb. He jumped when Mink clutched it blandly, helping him to move his joints.

It’d been a long time since he felt Mink’s warmth on this arm. It felt a bit… phenomenal.

“Feeling better?” Mink asked, placing Aoba’s hand back onto his lap.

“A-ah, yeah. Finally,” Aoba tittered with a clumsy response. He tried moving his arm again, eyes enlivening when he noticed a protracted stretch of scar along the bottom of his arm. It was a threadbare wound, but it was visible enough to be noticed, and he wasn’t sure if it was healable.

Mink obviously noticed it as well. He riveted at the scar, long, until when Aoba was about to take it off his sight that he pulled his hand over, not aggressive enough to hurt, but tenacious enough to lock it in his own hand.

“It should fade soon,” Aoba said out of desperation, even though he had no conviction whatsoever to support his statement. All Mink did was stare at the wound. Then, at long last, he released a profound sigh before he lifted Aoba’s hand to his mouth, blowing sparsely on it and, to Aoba’s utmost surprise, kissed it.

“M-Mink?!” Aoba shrieked, petrified by the rash gesture.

“In our tribe, a scar is a sign of bravery,” Mink maundered against Aoba’s skin. “It’s a heroic trait.”

Personally, none of the scars Aoba had gotten on his own body bothered him much. He never deemed them as being grotesque; rather, to him, they were distinct evidences of his struggles and how he’d triumphed over most of them even though it might risk him his body parts at the time when he was involved with those stumbling blocks. He’d gotten scars from Mink as well – scabs that he’d often told Mink that they were valiant testimony of how he’d never and never will give up on Mink. It always drew a smile out of Mink, but it’s Aoba’s own way of telling Mink that he’d never regretted the path he’d chose, regardless of how Mink might be thinking otherwise.

Now that Mink had brought this matter up, he placed his hand on top of Mink’s, nodding, acknowledging the similarity of their beliefs, and relieved that they were both on the same wavelength.

“But these are unnecessary scars.” Mink’s next words had Aoba gape in surprise. He was about to say something, but Mink was quick to shake his head, stopping him from doing exactly just that.

He placed Aoba’s hand down, then rolled his sleeves to elbow length, revealing a long stretch of what seemed to be a disfigured scar from a long time ago along his arm. Aoba had never seen this before. While he scrutinized the scar, it stung him upon realizing how much more scars Mink might have on his body that he’d never known the stories of. He’d never knew what he never knew about Mink, he never thought it’d be appropriate to ask, even. and now that he was just one step away from finding out _more_ about Mink, he found himself nowhere near prepared.

“We had been fighting since a long time ago. For peace. Even after I went to Midorijima, nothing changed. I fought for my tribe throughout the entire time I lived, regardless of where I am. These are scars I hold pride of, for I have done something plausible for my tribe and my family.”

“Mink…” Aoba uttered out of his own conscious. He understood how attached Mink was to his tribe; whenever he was to talk about them, there’d always be a glint of hope and of honour that had become Mink’s personal trademark.

He wanted to know more about Mink’s origin, his family, _him_.

“But there were times when we’d gotten ourselves scars that weren’t necessary from childish fights and our own carelessness. I always deem them—“

“No,” Aoba interrupted, already knowing what Mink was about to say. With a pause, he took Mink’s hand into his and pressed his palm against his new wound. “These aren’t unnecessary. We aren’t perfect and we are not supposed to be,” he smiled, using his free hand to caress Mink’s high cheekbone. “We cannot predict when we will get hurt, we aren’t completely protected from threats after all. Besides, I never wanted to be protected. Part of the reason why I decided to chase after you is because I wanted to explore more of you as well. I understand how dangerous it could be, Granny had warned me about it because, you see, I’m stepping into a whole new world that I never knew. Of course it would be dangerous. I didn’t even know what to expect. But,” he paused, taking Mink’s hand off his hand to press it against his own face. “you’re the same too, aren’t you? I never knew what kind of person you are, but you don’t know everything about me either. I had my own impression towards you, but you crushed them little by little, day by day. It surprised me, but amazed me above anything else. I’m grateful that I’m not overly protected, I’m glad that I’m allowed to explore. And even when I’m to get more wounds like this in the future, it’d _still_ be a prideful trophy for me, for I’m exploring when I’m here, and every one of them would only make me stronger, so that I could keep explore _more_ of you and everything here as much as I could!” he ended with an enthusiastic grin.

Mink was taken aback for only a while before he released what sounded like a small hitch of laugher. Aoba was wrong, he wasn’t the unpredictable one, _Aoba_ was too. That was why he was petrified when he saw Aoba chasing after him a year back. He thought this man was blinded by his own emotions to make sense of things. But truth was – he knew _perfectly_ well what he was doing and every reason why he’d committed to the decisions he’d made.

He took Aoba’s hand off his face, kissing the back of it before he spoke, now in a tone that had Aoba’s heart skipping a beat.

“You said you want to know more about my past and who I really am…” he said, arm encircling around Aoba’s waist, their distance pulled closer. “I can tell you everything, but under one condition.” He stopped, just to pulled his face towards Aoba, catching him right in the eyes. “You have to tell me about _your_ past too. And who you really are.”

It was unfair. He was playing an unfair game. This wasn’t a request; it was a dream come true. Overwhelmed by emotions, Aoba nodded spiritedly, leaping towards Mink and enveloping him into a snuggly hug.

Mink was never good with words. But when he came to express himself in such an upfront way like this, Aoba would always need to take a step back, take a deep breath, just to convince himself that everything Mink said was directed at him, for him, that it was real and that he was one step closer to open Mink up to him.

Mink swept his fingers against Aoba’s braids, feathers traced ticklish sensation against his coarse skin. Aoba felt small in his hands. Was he ever so small? Or did he shrink when he moved over?

His hand wrapped perfectly around his neck; he was so… fragile, as if he’d be able to crush him if he did as much as putting in more pressure into his grip.

But Aoba’s tender touch against his skin calmed his thoughts. He was smiling at him, his dainty gesture had Mink leaning in for another kiss.

He yearned to touch him. He wanted to draw all the things that he never knew about Aoba out of him – he _craved_ to know more about him, perhaps more than how Aoba wanted to know about him.

“I’m sure my scars aren’t as serious as yours,” Aoba chuckled between kisses. Mink’s hand had slipped beyond his neck, resting on his shoulder. “I can show you the ones that I remember, but in turn, would you show me yours too? I mean, I’ve caught sight of few but—“

“I can,” Mink said without a second thought, interrupting Aoba. “Show me, Aoba.”

His voice was no longer as intimidating as how Aoba remembered it to be. There was a vague hint of want, a trigger strong enough for Mink to pull the zipper down the front of his shirt, revealing shadows of his naked torso. He allowed Mink to pull his shirt off in the most sensual way Aoba hadn’t been expecting. His skin complexion was fair, so were the scars that were barely noticeable.

The thin frown in between Mink’s eyebrows told Aoba that he must be squinting through the dimmed light in the room for Aoba’s scars. With a small chortle, Aoba led his hand to his left abdomen, where a more visible stretch of scar could be seen along his ribs.

“It’s almost gone, I guess,” Aoba started. His right hand still felt a tad foreign to him but it was movable; he used it totally out of his own conscious, a desperate attempt to feel useful again. “But it’s still there.”

Mink released what sounded like a soft chuckle before he gripped onto Aoba’s waist and caressed the spot where Aoba had guided him to with his thumb.

“How did you get this?”

“Rhyme, I guess. I can’t remember very well. But I remember I used to fight a lot when I was still playing Rhyme.”

Mink said nothing after that, as if he was trying to visualize the scenario when Aoba had gotten the scar from a decade before. It looked like it was caused by a knife, he must have bled a lot when he was slashed.

“It’s unavoidable for fights to happen, especially when you’re a teen.”

“And you’ve always stood up for yourself.” Like how he’d stood up against Mink when Mink was threatening him.

Aoba nodded with a bitter laugh. “Can’t go down without a fight. But I guess my past has a lot to do with how I grew to be rebellious.”

“You aren’t rebellious,” Mink corrected. “You’re simply fighting for what you believe in.”

“Just like you,” Aoba elevated a brighter smile.

Mink rested his palm against Aoba’s soft skin for a while before he took it off, wandering towards other areas. He found a smaller scar around his shoulder, and another near his abdomen. Aoba snickered a few times, tickled. He held his breath when Mink’s face got nearer to his stomach, where he scrutinized a barely visible scar along his skin, and when he kissed it, Aoba skipped, hitching a breath.

“M-Mink?”

“This is where humans are born,” Mink’s voice created a ripple of vibration over his sensitive skin, causing him to shiver out of reflex.

Aoba didn’t know how to respond. He was well-versed with common knowledge, but it wasn’t something that’d occurred to him in such an offhanded way as how it did Mink.

So instead, he cupped Mink’s face and locked gazed with him.

“Can you show me your scars too?” he asked quietly, as if it was a request too forbidden to ask of Mink.

In response, Mink started taking his clothing off, his sturdy muscles a polished sight under the moonlight. It was then that Aoba realized how _small_ he was compared to Mink, in every sense. He held his breath as he pressed his palm against Mink’s chest, wincing as he discovered the wounds on his body. They were all marks of struggles and of survival. The longer he explored, the better he come to understand why Mink had mentioned birth when he rested his hand on Aoba’s tummy earlier.

“Thank you for choosing to be alive,” Aoba said after a long quiet moment. He remembered how Mink told him about taking his own life when he’s done with his own mission. He remembered how he struggled to keep him alive, how he _believed_ that he’d still be alive.

And now, here he was, right in front of Aoba, perfectly alive.

“That’s why I was saying,” Mink said, his hands back on Aoba’s body. He swathed his hands around Aoba’s torso, guiding him to fall gently on his back. “There were many occurrences in one’s life that could have led them to death. Some unpredictable. I wouldn’t have expected by tribe to meet their end in such a brutal way.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you about that…” Aoba apologized, but Mink’s delicate stroke on his cheekbone served as a reassurance to his apprehension.

“They’re always in my mind. But they no longer give me the sorrowful and regretful feelings I used to get. When I think about them now, I’m reminded of the moments we shared together, of how we worked hard to build a family. Perhaps the only thing that’s been haunting me is how I’m unable to share these moments with you.”

“It’s fine,” Aoba leaned in, nuzzling their noses together. “I’ll share the moments we have left together with you. And we could visit them at their graves to share these memories with them too.”

Mink laughed softly at Aoba’s response.

“You’re right,” was all Mink said before they kissed again, chests pressed against each other, heat and sweat mingling in the cold summer night breeze.

Aoba _really_ felt small in his hands. If he wasn’t careful enough, he might slip from his grip, sinking into a depth that Mink could never reach. The thought of losing Aoba terrified him. But Aoba was holding him in such a firm way, as if he was afraid to lose him too, as if his entire life depended on him.

Oftentimes, he’d still find himself wondering why Aoba had chosen him in the first place. Whenever he was reminded of how he’d once laid hands on body this small, this fragile, there would always be this vague sting in his heart that would slow his motion down even when they were in close intimacy like this. He didn’t want to hurt Aoba again, knowing that Aoba deserved nothing but comfort and that he still had a long way to go before he could fully repent for whatever he’d done to him.

“Mink,” Aoba said, as if he was reading Mink’s thoughts. “It’s fine, I’m not afraid of you.”

He wanted to believe in him; it’d be the greatest gift he’d receive from Aoba if that was the case. And he knew Aoba told no lies, even though he might be too considerate for his own good.

“You can always tell me if it hurts,” he said, consoled by Aoba’s nod.

“I don’t mind a bit of pain,” Aoba said jokingly. “Especially when it comes to… well, this.”

He spanned his hand downwards, feeling Mink’s hardening bulge beneath the thick material of his pants as he traced the outline of it with an anticipated smile on his face. He knew how Mink would often possess qualms when it came to treating him, and it was his position to bolster him, to give him that push that would cut his self-restraint loose. Even when he was completely repulsed by desire, he’d often take a step back and pacify his actions, leaving Aoba in a half-heated posture.

Aoba appreciated the thought, he really did. But having his orgasm denied glaringly wasn’t something he… appreciated very much.

“Mink,” he called out. “It’s really fine. I’m not afraid of you anymore, and I trust that you won’t hurt me, right? But even if you _accidentally_ did,” he slanted his head to the side, divulging a few marks of what Mink recognized as small scratches along his neck. “They’d be proud marks I’m willing to wear.”

Mink knew those marks. They were from him. He wasn’t aware that it’d leave marks.

“Scars aren’t necessarily bad, you said it yourself,” Aoba continued. He spread his legs, put two fingers into his mouth and sucked. When he took them out, saliva dripped all over the length, and all Mink could do was watch as he shifted them to his hole, pushing them in, one by one.

“What’s a man without a few scars on his body, right?”

That was the last thing he managed to say before he started panting open-mouthed, fingers thrusting in and out of his hole, filling his passage full and hot. The visual stimulation of Aoba fingering himself – or rather, preparing himself – in front of Mink clearly worked as a powerful trigger.

Mink gulped down his throat, casting his pants aside and stroke his own dick, bringing it to chock-full hardness.

Aoba’s own dick laid hard against his own stomach, it sprung ardent and punctuated, following the rhythm of his own thrusts. He was sweaty all over, and the moment he felt Mink’s equally sweaty palm against his abdomen, he jerked, coming without warning as cum exploded and splashed all over Mink’s hand.

“Came even without me touching you?” Mink huffed under his breath. Precum leaked from his slit as he spoke, dripping onto Aoba’s inner thighs, mingling with Aoba’s body fluid.

Aoba breathed heavily, barely recognizing what had just happened. He took his fingers out of his hole, eyes misty with heavy lust, drowning in afterglow. He jumped again when he felt heat enclosed around his softened length, his sensitive body still suffering from the aftermath of just coming. He thought he saw stars in his eyes. But the hand on his dick had no intention whatsoever to stop what it was doing; rather, it pumped harder, rougher, with Mink totally submerging himself in the ecstasy of Aoba’s aroused expression when he came, alongside his flushed pink skin that was nothing but a delicious temptation at that moment. He leaned in, catching Aoba in a breath-taking kiss, not allowing any chance for the profound lust between them to subside.

Aoba struggled, tears accumulated at the corners of his eyes and rolled along his cheeks. He clung onto Mink, his weight being his only support, and felt himself drowning in Mink’s sloppy kiss. Their tongues were wet and warm, their actions desperate and vulgar. And soon enough, Aoba felt his dick gaining weight again, becoming harder and harder in Mink’s hand. All his motions were constrained under Mink’s weight and all he could do was pant into Mink’s mouth, feeling himself reaching closer to the edge with every aggressive pump Mink was applying on his dick.

“M-Mink! Wait!” he shrieked, forcefully, pulling himself out of the wet kiss. “I-I’m—I’m com—“

Mink stopped exactly before Aoba could utter the last of his words, hanging Aoba at the edge of his orgasm. While Aoba attempted to come back to himself, he lifted himself up, sweat dropping onto Aoba’s already sweaty body. His torso was filled with a mixture of their body fluid – his sweat, Mink’s sweat, his semen – and he felt so dirty under the sight of Mink, who had been fixing his gaze heatedly on him. Mink wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, positioning himself in between Aoba’s legs and parted his legs by gripping onto his inner thighs. He was evidently impatient, every ounce of his body language did nothing but intensifying Aoba’s need for him. In an attempt to embolden him, Aoba stretched his arms towards him – an open invitation for him to embrace him.

He never thought that he’d be able to see a smile so strikingly beautiful as the one Aoba was giving him again. It reminded him of his sister, almost bringing tears to his eyes. He wanted so much to wipe the tears off Aoba’s eyes, to kiss him on the eyelids and to tell him that there’s no need to shed more tears now that he had him with him.

But instead, he pressed the head his dick against Aoba’s hole, instantly greeted with a pair of hands smaller than his across his shoulders, urging him in, _guiding_ him in.

Aoba let out a small groan upon feeling the head of Mink’s dick passing through the rings of his muscles. He closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying every inch of Mink’s heat. If the heat _within_ him hadn’t been enough to satiate his need for this very man, the warmth that Mink enveloped him right after he hit him in the hilt had definitely done the job for him.

“It’s… fine,” he repeated with heavy breathing. Mink was kissing his eyes, as if he was comforting him. “I’m… It doesn’t hurt.”

He pushed himself against him, wanting to feel him deeper, and when Mink responded with a sharp thrust, he launched himself towards him and bit him on the shoulder, hearing an instant groan by his ear almost immediately.

“Ah, sorry! I—“

“It’s fine,” Mink said, a mirror of Aoba’s words. “You can leave as many marks as you want on me.”

All Aoba heard was nothing but profound remorsefulness and it hurt him badly. He kissed the spot where he’d bitten Mink, giving it a flicking lick then buried his head against Mink’s shoulder.

“You can leave marks on me too,” he mumbled, his tone shaky. “No, _please_ leave marks on me.”

He could physically feel Mink’s dick twitch in him. He’s on the peak of his arousal, he’d almost come when Mink thrust into him earlier. He was definitely expecting Mink to portray absolutely no mercy on him. But the next thing he felt was a contrast of his expectations. Featherlike touches stroke his cheekbones, Mink’s fingers were in his hair, combing the strands, the same fingers that were touching him in such a delicate way then made their way to his forehead, his lips kissing his skin, the small marks around his neck.

For a split second, he thought he heard Mink muttering something into his ears. He thought he was speaking to him, just to realize that he was _praying_.

He had yet to understand what those prayers meant. But the solemnity on Mink’s face brought the deepest of his emotions out of him. He wanted to ask why Mink was wearing such an expression. He wanted to know what’s wrong with him.

“I’m praying to hope that my sins could be forgiven so that I’m allowed enough time to spend by your side,” Mink said with a smile, answering Aoba’s questions.

“Mink…”

“There’s absolutely nothing right that I’ve done to you in the past. There would be scars, that’s for sure, but I also want you to know that none of the scars you’d be receiving in the future would be unnecessary. I can promise you that.”

“I know,” Aoba said in a haste. “That’s why I’m here.”

And, with another kiss on his eyelid, Mink started thrusting again. He embraced Aoba in his arms, hugging him with incredible strength. Their attention focused on where they were connected. He felt alive, _so alive_. He could feel all the energy Mink was pouting on him now, he could feel how his body was responding in such a vividly heaty way.

The cinnamon scent wrapped him in thick ecstasy. Mink’s dick in him pushed the conscious mind out of him. He was enveloped in every hint of Mink’s existence and he wanted so much to have Mink carving his mark on him, _in_ him. He wanted Mink to make him his and he wanted to mark himself as an important existence in Mink’s life too.

There was no way he could tell exactly what was in his mind when he was so overwhelmed by desire now. All he could do was biting on Mink’s shoulder, a weak attempt to keep himself sane, the gravelly grunt he heard from Mink the moment he did just that had him coming all over their bodies.

Gentle moonlight showered the room in faint euphoria. He wasn’t sure if he believed in an upper being but at this precise moment, he felt blessed; the light felt like nothing but ray of hope to him.

Everything he was experiencing with Mink wasn’t a dream. It was real – Mink had given him access to his body, not only to create more marks on them, but also to mark him as _his_.

 

* * *

 

 

His hand felt as good as new. Even though Mink kept throwing doubtful gazes at his direction, he slung his backpack over his shoulder, waving at Mink’s direction, and insisting that they explore the forest – this time, together.

“C’mon!” he called from afar. Mink walked over, with Huracane flying alongside him. Aoba took the lead, walking into the forest as if it was his second home.

“What are we supposed to find in here?” Mink asked after a few routes into the forest.

“Nothing in particular,” Aoba responded with a grin. “Just exploring.”

Perhaps the forest _was_ Mink’s second home. Perhaps he’d already known this place like the back of his hand and that every route Aoba led him into was already boring him. But it was an experience they had yet to share with each other and regardless of how well-versed Mink might be, there’d always be a first to everything they wanted to do with each other.

The forest was as welcoming as usual, despite the terrifying atmosphere it emitted when darkness fell. The sound of branches creaking under their feet, of birds chirping, and of water flowing in a far distance had told them so. Aoba breathed in the fresh air of nature as he stopped by the river, one that he’d come to rest just a few days back.

“Ever since I came here, everything changed,” he said as he sat by the river, throwing random stones into the water. “My lifestyle, my view of life.”

Mink said nothing. He joined Aoba to sit by the river, watched as grasses waved with the breeze of wind. Aoba’s hair swayed with the melody of nature, so as Mink’s. They were separated by the world, being in a world that only belonged to them.

“It’s kind of… bizarre, I guess?” Aoba continued, breaking the silence between them. “I start to think about things that’d never occurred to me before. Simple things amazed me. Like, this water here,” he pointed at the river. “It looks so… fragile, but it’s the life source of everything here, isn’t it?”

“It’s amazing, indeed,” Mink agreed. “Like how you look fragile but you’re my—“

“Huh?”

Mink looked away, so did Aoba. They were pretty sure they had the same flusters on their faces now, though.

“Ah, it’s a squirrel!” Aoba exclaimed all of a sudden, pointing at a distance. “Oh no, it’s getting away!”

“Aoba, careful,” Ren advised, throttling after him while Mink shook his head, already had an idea of how Aoba had come to hurt himself few days back.

He followed Aoba’s trails and found him sitting under a tree, staring at a few squirrels above him, where they were seated on the branch.

“Shhh,” Aoba hushed upon recognizing Mink’s presence.

All Mink did was letting out a quiet hum before he sat on the trunk behind where Aoba was seated, joining him to stare at the squirrels.

“I’ve come to know how animals in this forest aren’t afraid of humans but still,” Aoba grinned cheekily. “It’s the first time I spot squirrels here, I’d like to have a better look at them.”

Mink had no objections whatsoever. He stared as the squirrels minded their business, then returned his gaze to Aoba, mesmerized by the glow on his face. For some reason, it relieved him greatly; being able to see Aoba as who he was in his very own hometown.

“I’m glad to be able to witness this with you,” Aoba smiled. “The last time I was here, we saw a bird falling from its tree. I wished I could see it with you too.”

“We’ll see more of these in the future,” Mink replied simply, eyes no longer on Aoba.

“Of course!” Aoba simpered. “There are so many things I’d love to see with you!”

“Shhh,” Mink hushed with a smile, pointing briefly at the pair of squirrels with his eyes.

“Oops,” Aoba hummed, pressing a palm against his mouth.

They spent a few more minutes with the presence of the squirrels before Aoba stood up, patting dust off his pants.

“Let’s go!” he said to Mink as he reached out a hand towards him, which he took.

They started walking again, hand-in-hand. Aoba’s hand felt small in his, as if one firm grasp was all it took to crush it. He gripped it carefully, but Aoba’s grasp was contrastingly firm, pushing him into a state of confusion.

Aoba was serious about what he’d said to him – he was not afraid of him at all; there was no more reason for him to.

While Aoba walked, he followed, watched as Aoba enthusiastically looked around. The forest was nothing new to him; it has been his second home. But for Aoba, it’s a new home for him. They walked around for a long time, doing nothing but exploring. And when the day started to grow darker, Aoba halted in his steps, surprising Mink, before he turned around and smiled at him.

“One last place, and we go home,” he said.

There was no need to tell Mink, he wouldn’t stop him from going anywhere he wanted to go.

His destination appeared to be the cliff where they first reunited. He was slightly startled, but he followed as Aoba brought him to stand at the edge of it. The sun was starting to fall behind the horizon, smearing the sky with shades of red and pink. Thread of lights lingered in the sky, mingling with the rolling clouds. The gentle breeze made leaves rustle with rhythm, quiet and soothing like the music of nature.

They took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the atmosphere. Aoba closed his eyes, took a deep breath and released it. His hair was just slightly dishevelled from the breeze, his hand just a tad cold in Mink’s hand, but he looked peaceful and calm, an expression that Mink had no heart to interrupt.

“It’s beautiful,” he said at long last, eyes lingering at the sinking sun. His face was illuminated with brightness, complementing his natural aura. And when he turned around to face Mink, his blazing grin was equally so – he looked like the light Mink had always been searching for ever since his world was thrown into darkness after what happened to his tribe.

Aoba was a living proof of his hope.

And he hoped there’s a way he could tell him exactly that without having to swallow his words back every time he found the perfect chance to.

“There’s something else I want to do with you here besides watching the sun set,” Aoba said. He held Mink’s hand firmer in his and fell silent. Mink let his take his time. Whenever he was to fall silent like this, he was contemplating, searching for the right words, the right way to form his sentence, to make sense of what he intended to say.

“Remember when you made a vow here with me?” Aoba asked. He looked slightly flustered and Mink wasn’t sure if it was due to the reflection of the sun or if he was _really_ flustered. “Thank you very much for that.”

Mink curved a small smile. “I meant every word I said.”

“And I also mean every word I’m about to say to you now.”

Without knowing what Aoba implied, Mink could only stare and wait for Aoba to break the code for him.

“I’m going to return your vow to you,” Aoba said, voice one octave lower. He held both of Mink’s hands up, pressing them against his own chest. “And I want you to believe that every word I am to say now would stay with me forever.”

Mink was taken completely by surprise. He hadn’t been expecting this. At all.

“I want to take you in my hands, to walk this path with you for the rest of your life. I want to be the person by your side, to support you, to guide you, to be your light when you’re lost. I want to be your ray of hope, your candle in the light, your pair of ears, your pair of arms. I want to be your life support, in any way possible. And…” he paused, just to take a deep breath, his hands on Mink’s trembled just a little. “From now on, you won’t cry alone. I won’t allow you to cry alone. From now on, you won’t lose your way, for I’ll be your light. I’ll show you the way and we’ll walk this very path together. We’re not alone and we would never be alone again. And today…” There were obvious tears in Aoba’s eyes but he gulped down his throat, swallowing all the sorrow down for him to finish the remaining of his sentence. “…I pray to the heavens above, hoping that all the blessings from all that lives may pour down upon us. This is the vow I give to you, for I am yours, and you’re mine. Forever.”

The emotions in him were undefinable. He thought he’d be giving Aoba the greatest reassurance when he’d vowed to him the last time they were here together. But Aoba had clearly seen through him, knowing how much _he_ needed that reassurance as well – that Aoba hadn’t regretted his decision to be with him, to stay by his side, despite their unpleasant past.

“Aoba,” he called out, and before Aoba could respond, he pulled him into a firm hug. He could feel Aoba’s heart thumping against his. He’d never felt so alive in his entire life.

Aoba was more than just a partner; it was a blessing that was given to him and that very belief was only made clear to him when Aoba had taken his own step to _want_ to belong to Mink.

He never knew if Aoba ever heard his answer when he asked him about methods to cure an emotional scar – for his tribe, is to hold faith, to keep loved ones close to each other, to fight for them, to protect them, for they are the reason for their living.

For Mink – it’s _Aoba_.

He never knew if Aoba would want to be his light as much as he wanted him to be. But today, with how Aoba had outwardly proclaimed himself to be his ray of hope, his worries were unnecessary after all.

Their journey down the dark tunnel had come to an end – with this vow, they’d achieved light in each other, and with each other by their side, they were sure that they won’t lose their way again. Even when they were to obtain more scars in the future, they knew that those were not meant for humiliation, but for a purpose and as a proof that they had won their struggles, and they’d only grow stronger from now onwards.

 

 


End file.
